Adapted from Android Developers Blog
The Internet of Things aims to computerize a whole new range of devices. Last week, two important updates were announced for the IoT developer platform.
The first is the Developer Preview, a developer version for the platform Android Things, which provides a powerful way to build products for the Internet of Things using the capabilities Android, one of the most supported systems in the world. Now any developer Android can quickly create a smart device using API Android and Google services. At the same time, a sufficient level of security is maintained, since updates come directly from Google. During the development, the feedback from the Brillo project was taken into account, familiar tools were included, such as Android Studio, Android SDK, Google Play services and the Google Cloud platform. In the coming months, the Developer Preview will receive updates that form the infrastructure for regular and secure distribution of OS patches, security patches and your own updates, as well as built-in communication with the Weave and more.
There are several out-of-the-box solutions available to developers looking to create real-world products with Android Things, including Intel Edison, NXP Pico, and Raspberry Pi 3. You can easily jump into mass production by using a customized design of these solutions and continuing to use the same Board Support Package (BSP) from Google.
The Weave platform has also been updated to make it easier for all types of devices to connect to the cloud and interact with services like Google Assistant. Device makers like Philips Hue and Samsung SmartThings already use Weave, and some others like Belkin WeMo, LiFX, Honeywell, Wink, TP-Link and First Alert will use them. Weave offers the entire cloud infrastructure so that developers can focus on their products without investing in cloud services. Weave also includes a Device SDK for supported microcontrollers and a management console. The Weave Device SDK currently supports circuits for light bulbs, smart plugs and switches, thermostats. In the coming months, we will add support for additional device types, custom layouts, and a mobile app API for Android and iOS. Finally, work is underway to merge the Weave and the Nest Weave so that all device classes can communicate reliably and securely with each other. So when you get started with Google Weave or Nest Weave, you are on a journey towards an ecosystem.
Everything described is just the beginning of the implementation of the ecosystem concept for the Internet of Things. To get started, you can go to the Google IoT developer site, or go directly to the Android Things, Weave, and Google Cloud Platform sites to find documentation and code samples. You can also join the Google IoT developer community on Google+ to get the latest updates, share ideas, and discuss with other developers.